


In My Time of Dying

by SharmaWild



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:22:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29156535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SharmaWild/pseuds/SharmaWild
Summary: (Post Hanako’s Path) In his last moments, V is given the gift of reconciliation and forgiveness…
Relationships: Kerry Eurodyne/Male V
Comments: 1
Kudos: 38





	In My Time of Dying

**Author's Note:**

  * For [myst](https://archiveofourown.org/users/myst/gifts).



> May contain spoilers!  
> This is just a short snippet that came to me after having chosen Hanako's Path. I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> For my friends, Myst and Cyan. See ya at the Afterlife, chooms!

V knew he was dying. The numbness spreading through his body had nothing to do with the cold rain that had started falling. Breathing was quickly becoming a struggle. Blood bubbled up in his throat, the metallic taste of it flooding his mouth, and as he coughed he could feel the heat of it trickle down his chin.

The last thing he had seen before collapsing to the ground was Kerry running towards him when chaos suddenly erupted on the street around them. But he hadn’t seen him since. Fear jabbed at him. He knew Kerry could handle himself, but this had all happened so suddenly.

“Ker…” V craned his neck, trying to see through the smoke. The burning pain intensified as he tried to will himself up, and his body refused to comply. He could already see the crimson liquid meander on the wet pavement around him, all the while his eyelids grew weary and heavy. As if from a distance, he could hear people shouting and the hard shattering bangs of heavy assault rifles. Max Tac must have arrived on the scene.

Now they’re all fucked, V thought dimly. His eyelids felt like lead and the red tinted darkness that had begun to seep into his field of vision bloomed, almost pulling him under.

“A fucking stray bullet…” Someone suddenly said close by. “Is this really how the saga of V’s gonna end? It’s almost ironic.”

V’s eyes snapped open. That voice. He’d recognize it anywhere. He managed to raise his head. “Johnny?”

The man was nonchalantly leaning against the graffiti-covered wall, watching him from behind his dark aviators, cigarette perched between his fingers as always. The coiling ribbons of smoke that rose from it seemed to defy the rain. “Hi, kid.”

“This is not real”, V rasped, letting his head fall back against the wet pavement. “You can’t be here…”

“You mean ‘cause you had Arasaka shred me?”

“I thought…”

“Thinking was never your forte, was it, kid.” Johnny was kneeling beside him now, hovering above him like some avenging angel dressed in worn leather pants and flak jacket.

“Fuck you, Johnny.”

Silverhand grinned. “Right back at ya, kid.”

Completely overwhelmed with emotions, V just lay there, the gushing hole in his chest forgotten. He had put his faith in Hanako and her promise that Arasaka’s scientists were the ones that would be able to remove the Relic without killing him. It had been a mistake, and he had paid for it with not just his own soul, but Johnny’s too.

Guilt had tore at him every moment since he woke up in that cold, sterile clinic. But worse than the guilt was that sense of emptiness, of being utterly alone.

V felt tears burn in his eyes. “I’m so fucking sorry, Johnny.”

“I know.” Silverhand’s voice was soft. “It’s time to let all of that go, V.”

The hand gently squeezing his shoulder was warm, comforting, and V felt relief rush through him. Relief and peace. Tears trickled down his cheeks to mingle with the raindrops and the blood, but he didn’t even notice. “I thought I would never see you again.”

He felt that strong, warm hand squeeze his shoulder again. “I’m here now, kid, and I’m not going anywhere.”

A sob bubble out of V together with more blood. His eyes started to close as that red blackness began to creep into the corners of his eyes again, and he felt like he was floating. V felt as if he where slowly falling asleep, but he knew that it was death, working its way through his body, claiming it. He coughed hoarsely, and more blood flew from his mouth. He was drowning within himself. Breathing becoming more and more difficult every second that ticked by.

“Don’t you dare flatline on me, kid!”, Johnny’s voice echoed again in his head. “V! Keep breathing!”

V did his best to comply, to fight. But he knew that he didn’t have much time left. He was only seconds away from his last breath. “V!” Johnny shouted, then his voice softened. “Keep your eyes open, kid. Kerry’s on his way.”

V mustered up all the strength that he possessed, opened his eyes, and looked up at the clouded gray sky. Around him the skyscrapers rose up, impossibly high. Holo-ads and neon signs bled into the rain that kept falling as if it was never going to end, tinting it pink, blue and yellow.

Night City enveloped him and held him, like she had held so many of her sons and daughters as they bleed out in her gutters.

After having survived being shot in the head by Dexter DeShawn, after having survived the Relic, this was how he was gonna go… Hit by a stray bullet outside a noodle joint. Johnny was right. It was ironic.

“All I wanted was to be remembered.”

An almost soft smile touched Johnny’s face. “And you will be, kid.”

V was taking his last breaths. He coughed hoarsely, and more blood bubbled up in his throat and out between his parted lips. He was almost gone now, but with sheer stubbornness and will, he forced his eyes to stay open, to take shallow breaths. From the corner of his eye, he could see a shimmering figure run towards him through the neon painted rain.

“V! Oh my god, V!” Kerry shouted, the word laced with sheer panic. His eyes were wide with fear as he saw the young man choke up more blood, his face void of color beneath the crimson.

Kerry dropped to his knees and his eyes lingered on the gaping wound in V’s chest. “Fuck…” He was at a loss for words as he realized just how badly V was injured. And when he looked down at the pool of blood that had gathered around the young man, he knew this was the end. He pulled V into his arms, hugging him close.

V blinked as drops of something hot hit his cold face, and he realized it wasn’t rain but tears. He looked up at Kerry. “Love…” He managed. He wanted to tell him that he loved him. That he had loved him since that crazy night on the yacht. V tried to get the words out but blood kept filling his throat, drowning them. Instead his eyes had to speak for him.

Kerry nodded, tears running down his face. “Love you too, V”, he said, his voice breaking. “I’ll never forget you.”

V felt his last breath leave his body in a hot rush, and there was a moment of panic as he felt himself fade away.

“It’s okay, kid”, Johnny murmured, looking almost as tall as the skyscrapers as he climbed to his feet and held out his hand. “Come on. Time to go.”

THE RAIN HAD STARTED TO come down harder, the water mixing with the blood carrying it away from V’s body in rivulets. Kerry held the lifeless form in his arms as Max Tac – officers moved around him. They, together with a Trauma Team had arrived to deal with the aftermath of the shooting.

A shadow fell over him, and Kerry looked up to see one of the TT’s stand there, face hidden behind the distinct mask.

“You should let us take him now, Mr. Eurodyne.”

Kerry nodded numbly. “Yeah, okay… Just be careful with him.”

The TT-medics gently lifted V over to the waiting stretcher.

A little unsteadily, Kerry climbed to his feet. He leaned down, pressing a last kiss on V’s cold forehead. “Bye, kid.” He watched the Trauma Team cover the body and lift the stretcher into the waiting AV.

The rain was pounding down as if even the heavens themselves were grieving. For a moment, Kerry closed his eyes against the downpour. He felt lost… strangely numb and utterly raw at the same time.

Not sure what to do, he turned and started looking for his car. But instead his gaze fell on the Porsche. V’s car, the one he had sort of inherited from Johnny. It was barely visible through the haze.

His heart gave a sudden jolt, and Kerry squinted, trying to see through the rain. For a moment he could have sworn he saw V standing there, hand raised as if saying good bye, and leaning against the car was Johnny, giving him that cocky smirk that he knew so well.

Then Kerry blinked and the illusion… vision… what ever the fuck it had been, was gone.

The end.

_In my time of dying  
Want nobody to mourn  
All I want you to do  
Is take my body home_

\- In My Time of Dying, Led Zeppelin


End file.
